Share the Pain, Live the Joy
by Flint and Feather
Summary: Movieverse, set near, at and after the end of Hellboy 2. The departures of Hellboy, Liz Sherman, Abe Sapien, Johann Krauss and Tom Manning were so abrupt after the battle with the Golden Army, that there must have been much more for their minds and hearts to say about their experiences within those few days and nights. Here's my story. Reviews are very appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Principal characters are owned by Mike Mignola and Dark Horse Publications for the comics, and by screenwriter/director Guillermo Del Toro and Universal Pictures for the motion pictures. Story is original. Hope very much that you enjoy and review!  
_

Beleaguered Tom Manning couldn't pinpoint just where to begin looking for his renegade freak agents. All four of them, for chrissakes! The last Manning had seen of Hellboy, he'd considered him doomed to die of his magical spear wound, right here in the Bureau's medical wing where no treatment could save him. Accordingly, the powers above Manning and his superior, Johann Krauss, had so decided, passing down the cold order to make no further efforts, and to restrain the demon agent, if necessary.

He couldn't imagine that Krauss would have had a willing hand in this insurrection. The high ranking ectoplasmic agent was far too upright, too dedicated to correct Bureau procedure to go this far off the rails. But it was no longer unthinkable that Abe Sapien, usually level-headed and of unfailing logical intellect, might have joined Hellboy in this. A certain elf princess, along with Mexican beer, seemed to have been throwing off the merman's perfect brain waves, or so his human agents reported on the night the elf prince speared Hellboy. A certain level of inebriation meant that Hellboy wasn't in best fighting form, either. Women! Manning's mental rant came to the fore. _Who else but that thorny demon could be this reckless and flaunting of his authority? He was the ram who made things happen_ – but in spite of being seriously injured and near death, Hellboy was gone, too.

_Manning's enforced hard-nosed position dictated that he should have put aside any sympathetic curiosity, and his closely held hopes that Hellboy's body could somehow surmount his injury and activate his remarkable demon ability to self heal. He shouldn't have been waiting tentatively outside of Hellboy's examination room, knowing that he was glaringly unhelpful. But now, he believed he was instead paying his hidden final respects from afar, as he found it difficult to hear Abe's declaration of failure, to witness Liz' distress as she leaned over Hellboy to comfort him. But not far from him, Johann Krauss looked in on the scene, as well. Tom hung his head – Professor Bruttenholm – this would have killed him all over, again._

Manning had felt certain from the beginning that this absurd inter species relationship could never last, that it was a disruption with the potential to throw the special team into chaos. But there was no discounting the bitter defiance that Liz had spat at him and Johann, when she discovered that nothing was to be done to save Hellboy. Manning realized too late that she had to have been the driving force behind the escape.

With Hellboy's condition becoming more dire by the hour, could he still have kidnapped Abe and Krauss, bent them to his will? Manning harboured suspicion, distrust and fear, that paranormal abilities beyond his understanding, had been put into action. None of them singly, could have secured the stolen aircraft away from headquarters. What the hell were they up to? And where were they? Having scrambled his own regular backup team and flight to County Antrim, northern Ireland, Manning thought he'd landed as close to the map destination as possible now, on the Giant's Causeway. But there was nothing here, to his eyes, except the North Atlantic Ocean at his back, empty meadows stretching far away from the cliffs, and a tall stand of rough, oddly rectangular rock.

...

Hellboy strode out the doorway of the stone Giant's cavernous belly at the head of the unique agent team, with his triumphant, brazen attitude intact. The hospitable Giant of the Causeway released them as easily as he had earlier welcomed the resident goblin blacksmith, seeking admittance for the four.

The first being Hellboy encountered under the wide open Irish sky, was newly arrived Tom Manning. For a fleeting amused instant, Hellboy watched the flustered director flapping his arms and shouting orders at his regular agents. Without express invitation to the underground, Tom would never have found Red's team. But it was all too good, even as Manning turned and staggered in open-mouthed shock at seeing him alive.

"_I'm gonna be a father.." _ It was all too good. Hellboy brushed off any care that Manning had not one immediate question about the Golden Army. He refused to hear Manning accuse him of taking the Bureau aircraft. What did _he _know about anything? It was all too good.

"_Liz wants my baby.." _It was all too good to stay – with this outfit that passed him over to die, without any fight from this gutless wonder.

Nothing was going to level Red's impulsive assertion to cash it in - right now.

"_Yeah, I quit! Suck it up!" _He grinned into Manning's panicked face as he dumped his weighty duty belt and weapon into his arms. Two more special agents followed suit, giving notice of their resignations.

"_My Liz – we're doing great."_

Abe next stepped up, his speech short and to the point.

"_Blue's acting like the worst thing in his life, didn't just happen. He's ready to crash and burn. We've gotta talk. When he's ready."_

Hellboy's only second thought was to saunter back to Manning to retrieve his iconic cherished revolver, the Samaritan.

Last, Johann, with an opinion. Manning begged his help to stop the resignations, but was flabbergasted that the refined head of the ectoplasmic division would only utter crudely to him, "Suck my" – concluded in German.

"_Johann, we hammered it, you and me. You can stand with me, anytime."_

Manning was left alone, floundering. How could the BPRD continue to exist without Hellboy, Liz Sherman, and Abe Sapien?

His own past blathering threats to 'put an end to this freak show', clammily haunted him as he stood rooted to the spot, clutching armfuls of their surrendered official equipment.

How could they be of the same mind, all at once? His head swivelled as he watched them walk away over the grassy acreage, ignoring his desperate calls. This clear skied, beautiful day was turning into the worst of his career. Had Manning not been so disconcerted, he might have observed the seated stone Giant turning gently to see where all the little creatures had gone.

And Manning couldn't have divined the life changing conversation happening between Liz and Hellboy, off together on their own path. He brought to mind that he'd called the big, brash agent, 'freak' and 'monster', to his face. Done it once. Regretted it instantly. In the distance, that demon appeared happily excited, with arms gesticulating high and wide.

Then Manning dropped his burden to the ground and stared at the heap of Bureau field equipment, letting his brain shake loose from its meanderings to his downfall. Were they going to stay right here in County Antrim, with nothing but the clothes on their backs? No – he'd offer them a flight back to New Jersey. They would have to come to their senses, at least to consider what valuables they'd left in their headquarters homes. What would these freaks do, without their jobs, without the support of the BPRD? More for his self preservation, how was he to explain to the FBI why the unique agents had quit en masse on his watch? With an uncertain hope rising, he saw Hellboy and Liz slowly walking back in his direction.

It took a lot of fast talking, proposals and promises, but to Manning's relief, the agents saw reason in a temporary return to Section 51, though none had taken back their resignations. Not yet. There were two planes to return home. The director had arrived in a larger transport, bringing fresh pilots. As two of the pilots headed outside to board the commandeered craft, the remaining pilots and regular agents hustled away to the cockpit area, anxious to leave Manning alone with the special four. He felt nowhere near as much of a boss, as outnumbered. What to say? He hadn't after arrival, taken a minute to show concern for any of them. Plainly, as they sank into their seats, no one seemed to have any interest in speaking to him.

Abraham, downcast and solitary, gave his back to all. There was nothing to be read in the non-face of eerily silent Johann Krauss.

Looking over at Hellboy, Manning saw him huddled with Liz, his hovering, engrossed posture and the concealment of his coat, so obviously meant to shut out any intrusion. They were heads together, cosily close in their adjoining seats, and Manning glimpsed a kind of coy smile that he'd never before seen on Liz – some secret going on between them...everybody was keeping secrets from him.

"We're having _two_ babies," Red whispered in amazed wonderment, for the fifth time.

"That's how Abe read me," Liz answered indulgently, also for the fifth time.

"Can you feel them yet?" he asked, fondly tracing his finger along the metal curve and cross of her choker adornment.

"Their cells have been dividing for just three weeks. Our babies are hardly visible."

"But I see them," Red smiled, closing his eyes. "They'll be smart, like you -"

"And big like you, and maybe not as red. Hey, I'm new at this, too, Lover. I don't know all the answers."

"I just like to hear you tell me," he murmured, his eyes more than golden with excited pride.

Manning's official abandonment of Hellboy had left him smeared under the special agents' disdain, and kicked out of all the loops. And it didn't help when he took a chance at regaining some professional consideration, with his poorly timed approach at Hellboy's back.

"Uh, Hellboy," he ventured, "I have to ask -"

"Not now, Manning," came the gruff answer, sounding muffled against his woman's lips.

"I'm glad to see you've recovered, and I want to hear about the army, how it all ended."

Without a turn toward the speaker, Red gave a derisive shrug. "Sure, you are. Ask Abe!"

Manning reversed his steps, preparing to accost Abraham.

Then the lovers' eyes snapped open with the same chill of realization – what Hellboy had just let slip was thoughtlessly cruel. He rocketed from his seat, exclaiming, "Brother! Damn!"

Manning only just saved himself from being knocked flat in the aisle. Hellboy was now beside the sorrowful merman, his hand on his shoulder as they walked into the privacy of a bulkhead recess.

"Blue," he began, contrite, "I had no right, I-"

"You have the right," Abe sighed sadly. "I very nearly put an end to the world we know, to you and your future with Liz – endangered the future of all humans, only because I needed to care for _her._"

"The princess." Red spoke gently to his friend's grief. "She was – too brave to let herself live."

"Too loving," choked Abe, unable to speak another word for his anguish.

The agents turned to a faint approaching footfall. Liz. Very close she came, searching their suffering faces with dark, achingly soulful eyes. There was no mistaking the agony about to burst. She opened her arms wide, and the men leaned into the rescue and comfort of her compassion. Abe dropped his face to her shoulder, held her gratefully, and let his broken heart release in shattering sobs.

"_Nuala, my Love! My sweet lost princess! The only wish of my heart was to take you away, to keep you forever safe, and to hope that you would love me, too. I've not lost my friends, dear Love, though I betrayed them horribly to make my dream come true. Your principles could not have approved of what I did, even had I saved you – but nothing mattered – nothing but you, alive and whole, in my arms. Every second of our final moments together, I will never forget, dear Nuala, though they bleed out my heart..."_

With deep shared sorrow constricting his chest and gripping his throat, Hellboy pressed his lined brow into her hair. He circled his arms to surround Abe and Liz, relieved beyond words to welcome her earth-mother intervention. And he let his mind rail at the shreds of his own unfinished rancour...

"_Get out of our heads, Nuada! Your batcrap-crazy, lying elf ass is stone dead! I'm not your killer. For your sister, I didn't kill you. I turned my back on you. I know better. Combat 101. Fight me like a man, and maybe you live...maybe. I hate your sneaky, dead guts! I know where you were coming from, but you put my woman and my friend through a world of hurt! Think you know it all?! I'm one of the good guys. Humans can go ahead and tire of me. I have everything, hear that? **everything** I want. Your sister was the best of you. If I wasn't near my lady, I'd burn your ears off, good! Go to hell!"_

Abe seemed loathe to raise his head from the warm cocoon of his friends. He'd absorbed every word of Red's mental tirade, loud and clear, and the biting rigour of it jogged Abe, a little, from his broken mindset. Now he heard Liz as her arm gave him a pull around his back, a signal that her thoughts were open willingly to him.

"_He knows! Red knows I've conceived! The secret belongs to all of us, now, but if you hadn't known so early – Abe, it saved his life! The Angel of Death herself, removed the spear blade and healed him. Did you see? Red was unconscious, and didn't hear her tell me, 'Give him a reason to live'. And I was able to make him hear it, give him the strongest reason to live for his own fatherhood, because of **you**! The way he fought today – it was all for his reason to live. And Abe, if you've read from me what the Angel predicted, I don't want Red to know what I heard, please! If he ever has to know, I'll do it..."_

Abe had listened in stillness, except for a slight trembling. He raised his head, blinked rapidly, and seized Liz again in embrace.

"Thank you, Liz. Thank you! Red! – Can you both ever forgive me?"

"Done," Hellboy whispered, smiling down into the cluster of their heads, "and don't ask again."

Having noted Hellboy and Abe, then Liz, taking refuge together, Johann had discreetly moved out of sight to afford them privacy. Liz had taken a second to acknowledge it, receiving his slight nod. It would always remain part of her that Johann's hand in the 'mutiny', belonged to the web that now bound the four together. Spurred on by his past tragic loss, he understood the gift of love, and had given all that he could bring to bear, to keep Hellboy and Liz from being separated by death.

...

"Dr. Krauss," Manning appealed, hoping that the ectoplasmic spirit would consent to a conversation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the others somberly emerge from hiding and take their seats together.

"No friends, Dr. Manning?" Johann's helmet tilted in invitation. "Do sit."

"Look, I have friends," Manning began inauspiciously. "You can't know how much my job, those agents, demand of me."

"You must know yourself, but I haf come to know you, in just a few days."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Manning bridled.

"How qvickly you embrace ze vorst conclusion, mein Herr," Johann drew out, sarcastically.

"Hellboy's told me that."

"And for someone you respect so little, you find he iss correct?"

"Respect, I've tried. "I've had to settle for working in fear of him," Manning admitted sourly.

"Only some hours ago, agent Hellboy and I alone, fought indestructible mechanical soldiers – in ze Golden Army chamber. It vas miraculous that ve survived. Agent Hellboy discovered how to render ze army of forty-nine hundred, dormant, forever."

"Impressive," Manning nodded, eyes on his knees. "Fought all of them?"

"Un-imagin-able!" Johann chewed through the word as if enunciating to a moron. "I find it unforgivable zat you haf made no enqviry into ze condition of any agent, nor – taken interest in ze hardship of ze mission."

"There was no authorized mission, a stolen aircraft, and then they all quit, the minute they saw me!" Manning cried in his defence.

"It vas a rising to ze occasion!" Johann voiced a most demon-like angry growl through his mouthpiece. "And vith zat, your human vorld iss saved!"

Johann's vehemence and truth was a painful surprise. Manning's ideal Johann was gone.

But returning to calm delivery, Johann continued, "I cannot dismiss zat I did not initially object to Vashington's order regarding agent Hellboy. But, I found zat I could no longer be ze official who vould let such as him, die, merely for lack of action. Mein conscience iss completely clear on zat point."

"We had a great working partnership when you arrived at my headquarters! What happened, that you've changed this much?" Manning entreated.

"I don't hate you, Dr. Manning," Johann sidestepped, "should you haf been about to ask."

"I thought it might be something in the water," Manning grumbled to himself.

"You should haf taken note that I haf no need to drink, eat, sleep," Johann pointedly informed.

All conversation among the others had long been silenced as they listened to the irresistible exchange between the director and his former comrade.

"Now, please, Dr. Krauss," they heard a chastened Manning ask, "Would you tell me about the team, and the Golden Army?"

"And after," Johann added, "ze defeat of Prince Nuada himself, vas of large importance."

Abe couldn't help a cringe, then, until Liz caught his eye. No, the hurt would never go away. He excused himself to get a wet-down in his custom on board tub.

They managed to grab some sleep. Despite the single sized bunks provided, Hellboy and Liz occupied one together. Not especially comfortable, but good enough for the privacy.

Before all agents disembarked in New Jersey, Manning presented himself, motioning for their attention.

"I want you three to reconsider resigning the Bureau," he offered. "There could be some changes made -"

"I want my room, my shower, and my bed," interrupted Hellboy, "in that order. You can talk tomorrow."

...

"We're gonna have changes, all right. Lots to look after." Red and Liz contentedly peeled off all clothing in their big bathroom. Several of his cats took the opportunity to stretch out on the master's clothes.

"But not right now," yawned Liz, stepping into the shower stall. She moved to one side as Red joined her, and grabbed a bottle of body wash. Surveying her mate's large physique, she applied the gel to his wet skin. "You're all battered up," she murmured, circling her hands to lather up his back and shoulders.

"I feel good," he reassured, "for a lot of reasons."

As she turned to have him wash her back, he slid his soapy hands around to her flat belly, lovingly caressing. She covered his hands with hers and leaned against him. Something did change then, as Liz fell silent.

"Babe – say something," Red persuaded, wrapping her in his arms. "Whatever you need, I'll take care of it. I'll take care of everything." He breathed easier when she pushed her head back into his chest and looked up at him briefly.

"Now listen – I don't want you to get all nanny on me," Liz warned lightly, "but I didn't share our baby news with you, as soon as Abe told me." She felt Red's chin nuzzle the top of her head, and rest there. And she could envision that he might look a little hurt. But he waited.

"It was so huge for me, I had to let it settle into my head," Liz continued. "Because from the day I knew, I was praying not to lose them. My immune system hasn't rejected them -"

His core muscles clenched in anxious response against her back.

"Lose them? Liz, look at me! Is something wrong?" It seemed an eternity of the streaming shower's white noise, until she turned in his arms.

"Nothing's wrong, but it takes a little time to be sure."

Red pulled her in. "You scared me," he breathed, "I understand how scared you were, too." He smoothed the wet hair from her cheeks. "I do. It was a lot of weight on your mind."

Her lips curved up as he took her hand to lead her out of the shower. They dried each other quickly, as thoughts of their bed were closing in. Shifting over to Red's pillow, Liz wrapped her arms around his neck, as his encircled her waist.

"I can't help wishing," she said wistfully, "that Abe and Johann could find what we have."

"Yeah," he agreed. "We _are_ the luckiest of all."

"What were our odds against having this night?" she wondered.

"Yesterday's odds?" he laughed, "I can't count that high. Chill, Babe. Kiss me - and keep it coming."

Liz stopped thinking for the moment, about tomorrow, about where they would go, what they would do without the Bureau. She kissed him and purred in his ear, "Our babies are living right here." Tender waves of warmth thrilled through Hellboy as Liz pressed his hand over her little womb.

...

In the midst of all odds, forces of courage and friendship had come at their time of most desperate need, to protect them and their love. First, Abe – so generous and kind, with his unerring powers of diagnosis. Then, Johann, whose human integrity was extended to the utmost as their ally in disaster and in battle.

Because Red's love for her was so strong, he had once sacrificed himself to the Other Side to retrieve her soul. However they had escaped or defeated dark powers and survived to this day, it was true that she, Abe and Hellboy, had each chosen the risk and promise of future apocalypse in exchange for the lives of the ones they loved.

Created by their love, another generation was about to be placed into their arms and hearts. In the end, love remained the strongest force of all – but the end, however it be fated to rest on their shoulders, was theirs to await.


	2. Chapter 2 No Heroes' Welcome

**A/N: Following the return of Hellboy's team from the defeat of the Golden Army, the F.B.I. can't leave well enough, alone. (Hope you enjoy, and I love reviews!)**

**...**

In the semi-darkness of their room, Liz stirred awake to intrusive, grinding noises interrupting the late night quiet. Roused fully alert to listen, she raised her face from her pillow and detected the source – clicks and revolving mechanisms from within their vault door. She bent down to peer closely at Hellboy by the subdued flickering light of one soundless television screen. His peaceful, slow breathing satisfied her that he hadn't been disturbed. He needed this deep, restorative sleep after his huge expenditure of battle energy.

She crept out of bed to investigate, staring steadily at the door while she approached with wary steps. Nearing the wall mounted intercom, she startled as it buzzed to demand answer. Should there have been a possible, improbable summons for them to go to work, it wouldn't have come this way. That part of their life currently hovered in limbo. Hastening to slap down the microphone key before the auxiliary device again signalled by the bed, Liz whispered hopefully into the grid cover, "Abe, are you there?"

There came instead, the harsh sounds of a man very distinctly clearing his throat. Liz held her breath as the voice of Tom Manning formally addressed her.

"Miss Sherman, rest assured that Mr. Sapien is well," he said, crisply. "Now, be informed that you, and uh - I'm sure Hellboy hears me by now - are both being detained under house arrest."

A string of snarling profanities suddenly exploded from the vicinity of the bed. Liz turned dismayed, wide eyes toward her mate, who came bounding across the room like a crazed bull, to challenge the Director.

"You're arresting me?!" Hellboy thundered into the speaker. "Manning! Get your lame ass over here, and say it to my face!"

And the next Manning heard at his end, were deafening deep-chested roars and bashing blows against multilayered steel as Hellboy attacked his vault door, and Liz, shrilly crying out.

Throwing her slight form on Red, Liz did her utmost to weigh down his stone arm as he pulled back his fist to lay on another jarring smash.

"No, Red! Stop!" she pleaded. He halted instantly, letting her trap that rigid limb to his side within her desperate tight hug about his waist. Far from calmed, he willed his rage-ridden eyes to soften into a gaze of affection upon her flushed, upturned face. His body again jolted with agitation in the circle of her arms, as they heard Manning's following transmission cut across their emotional turmoil.

"You, you 'special beings' are confined to quarters. Should harsher methods become necessary – be warned, they _will_ be implemented. The disciplinary committee will be convening within the week. I'm in charge here, and don't forget it!"

Hellboy gave his death stare to the intercom. He claimed the self-controlled satisfaction of a fist shot through its face, and mauled the circuits dead.

A chill coiled around her like a vise of foreboding, and Liz tightened her embrace, crushing her cheek against his chest. His flesh hand cradled her head, and he quietly told her, "I'll be good. I promise."

He promised silently, too – whatever he did from now on, his protection of Liz and their unborn children, would come first. And he blamed himself for being too complacent in their situation. Manning had let them have a part of their night as guests. Now, they were his prisoners, triple-locked inside their subterranean quarters. When he'd had no answer from Abe on his second attempt at contact, he should have suspected that something was up. No excuse, that he'd been too tired and too blindsided by his woman's sweet news, to see it for what it was. If he really needed to, Hellboy could escape from here. He'd do it at any cost to himself, if he were on his own. But now, he had so much more than his alpha male rebellion to think of. If they were going to ride the roller coaster, it might as well happen in New Jersey.

The couple returned to the refuge of their bed to digest the impact of this bureaucratic trap. Red immediately took the TV remote and turned up the audio, to static up any possible listening devices covertly planted during their absence. He'd sweep the whole place for bugs and hidden spy-cams, first thing in the morning.

"Confined, detained, arrested.." Hellboy whispered bitterly. "This is what he had planned, all along!"

Liz pursed her lips. "Moot point, but maybe you're giving him too much credit." She nudged him to sit up, and shifted close against his side, folding her legs beneath her. "Here's something strange, under the circumstances." The soft breaths of her whispering at his ear, and her soothing rubs along his right shoulder, stilled him. "I checked our accounts earlier, and we're not frozen out. Our paychecks have been deposited, as usual." Feeling his anger melt away under the kneading motions of her hands, she too, was lulled into the peace of resting her cheek at his temple. She sank onto his chest as his arms slid around to hold her.

But too soon, Red opened his eyes and raised his face from hers, to throw another glance at the door's battered titanium skin. All quiet. Returning his attention to her, he made an unexpected request. "Okay, show me how to look on the bright side."

"Mm - we have our own room, and all of our stuff." Liz tried to sound upbeat. "And they'll have to feed us -"

Red joined the vibe. His lip hitched into a trace smile. "And we're together."

They bedded down and covered up to shut out the world. But since leaving Ireland, practical worst case complications of a big life change had collected in Red's mind, and he'd stored them away to deal with, later. Now, Tom Manning's warrant triggered one more, an immediate, actual worst case - nothing like the others that he and Liz would face. He had to get their future sorted out, but finding a place to live, and working out how to exist, was on hold. Getting so amped up didn't blunt his exhaustion for long. But while his body surrendered, his subconscious wandered out and formed into settings, shapes and events, and Hellboy watched them painfully, from afar...

_They were free and footloose in the green promised land. Now, he was figuring out how to __provide for his pregnant ladylove. Like their next meal...he found a flock of sheep and chased down one big ewe, stole it and carried it alive and kicking, back to her. That scene faded into him hunting wild rabbits, splattering the poor little critters into smithereens with the Samaritan. Yee-uck! Then they were raiding some Irish farmer's vegetable patch, and running away like thieves. He saw himself diving the ocean with Abe and Johann, catching fish by hand. And what about some kind of temporary place to get Liz out of the wind and rain? The goblin blacksmith was still their local best friend, and he let them all in through the Giant's door for the second time. They stayed away from the crib where the Angel of Death might show up, didn't need to see the army's chamber anymore, either. And soon enough, they got themselves into a hot mess with about a hundred elven Sons of the Earth, who were pissed all to hell that their prince and princess were dead. The fight was on again..._

Hellboy gasped and shook his head awake. He made relieved rediscovery of the familiar sights of his room, and checked quickly to his side to find Liz sleeping there. His dream, bizarre to the max, left him hanging. What did it mean to tell him?

**...**

BPRD Agent Parrish was in a foul mood after his early morning summons to Tom Manning's office, and there, hearing himself assigned as head over three other senior agents to the new Hellboy security squad.

"I don't care how well you think you know him!" Manning told Parrish, "You'll do as you're told!"

Parrish looked with open disgust at the restraining device half covering the surface of Manning's desk, a monster of a super-duty belt with customized double wrist manacles rivetted at center front. Manning flicked his finger over the belt, an order for Parrish to take it. With effort, the agent turned the inflexible canvas over by its wide harness of crossed shoulder straps, and studied the back height, with its double fastening of padlocks. Parrish dropped the apparatus, the steel cuffs clashing as it again met the desk.

"This relic?" he laughed. "I saw it ripped in half on a mission, eight years ago." He poked at a line of industrial strength staples and bolts. "Was it worth the patchwork fix?"

Agents Sutton and Elder smirked, and Manning swivelled in his chair to glower at them.

"First, Director," Parrish snorted, "this is as degrading as shit! Second, **you** know nothing like this will ever hold Red!"

All the men were agreed on that, Manning judged by their glumly set, askance expressions.

"Watch your mouth, Mister!" he yelled, abruptly standing to slam his desk with the flat of both hands. "You'll follow procedure! And make sure to have the log filled out!"

Manning dropped back into his chair and dismissed them with a jerk of his chin, hiding his stinging fingers in his lap.

With Weller and Sutton carrying the apparatus between them, the team made off to an obscure property vault and stashed the abomination behind some other sizeable exhibits. Parrish dropped to seat himself on a sturdy box within the cool mustiness of the concrete walls. His face went slack as he yanked to loosen the knot of his tie, then crumpled into a twist at the distaste of his assignment.

"I won't do it," Parrish declared. "I'm not making Red go to his hearing in cuffs!"

"What jackpot of overtime is worth that?" Agent Weller mused, checking his watch. "But next stop is no sweat, picking up the breakfast carts."

Parrish grabbed a clipboard hooked to a shelf, and pulled a blank form from the sheaf of papers. He clicked open his ballpoint pen, frowned, and began to write.

"As you were, ladies," he muttered, intent on his scribbling. "We've got thirty minutes before we face the wrath of Red."

**...**

Hellboy and Liz waited on their couch, holding hands and watching the door. It was about time for the breakfast to show up, but they had to expect that nothing would be the same as before.

They heard the outside clunk of the key being inserted, setting phase one into motion. Release of second and third phase mechanisms allowed the ponderous door to disengage and swing outward to open wide, and the couple stood up to discover a kind of deliverance.

"Parrish!" Red exclaimed with jovial surprise, "About time we saw a friendly face."

"We're getting some, now," Liz welcomed, peering behind the new arrival.

The agent pushed one food cart through and waved for the second to be brought. Parrish flashed Red a tense grin as the rest of the agents joined him.

"What's going on?" the demon asked, acknowledging each familiar man with a brief nod of greeting.

Parrish beckoned him to come close, and dropped his voice to a whisper. "I heard, cameras, zip. Bugs, five."

"Bugs, junk," answered Hellboy, in the same hushed tone. "and nothing incoming."

"Manning's been keeping you in the dark." Parrish made room for Liz to join. "But when the day comes, we'll all be taking you to the committee."

"Huh?" Red looked like he might laugh, but murmured, "What am I, some dangerous freak?"

"The FBI wouldn't spring for their own Washington goons, so we're your low budget escort."

"Glad it's you guys, then," Red approved. "Anything else?"

"We're ready to accept some deep shit for this, but it'll blow over."

Red cocked his head with open interest at the cryptic statement, and his tail flipped in short, subtle arcs.

"Just two things to ask, Red," Parrish went on, "Play along with us. Stay cool." He produced some folded papers from his inside pocket, and handed them to Red. "Don't let this freak you out. Got no time to chew it over."

Red leaned in, his head more lowered. "See you at next delivery, then."

Parrish nodded and turned to the door with his team. Short signals of goodbye saw them off, to attend to re-locking.

Ignoring the food, Red walked back to the couch, unfolded the papers and scanned through. Liz read over his shoulder, respecting by her silence, the efforts of their colleague.

He wrote, _Got the following orders of operation: One. With every entry to your place, we're to back you both off at gunpoint and guard until we leave. Manning reasons that you won't risk Liz getting hurt._

_Two. We're not allowed to talk to you. Silence absolute._

Red huffed with disdain and pointed along an especially offensive piece of intelligence. Liz read it with an eye flare, _Three. Manning dug up and slated the gorilla belt (crazy, huh?) for your perp walks. But it got lost on my watch. Baldy won't know until day one. Fireworks to come. Been there!_

"That old piece of junk," Red chuckled softly, as he flipped the page. "I'm gonna owe, big time."

Liz pictured with an aggravated shiver, the Bureau's design to humiliate her man. But Red, Parrish and the team, wouldn't let it happen. Together, the couple finished reading the rest – scheduling and route details, any names Parrish could furnish. Red's easy grin as he handed her the pages, told her that this scheming between friends, was just what he'd needed.

"Get rid of these, Babe?"

Liz carried them to the kitchen sink, and hoping for the possibility of a lesser ordeal, set a little fire.

**...**

Abe Sapien kicked with a smooth motion to rise to the surface of his library swimming tank. It was open only to limited view, and covered over with a locked metal grid, since he'd been seized under Tom Manning's orders.

Listless and sick at heart, Abe had given up battering his body against the immoveable screen. Two complete days and nights of eyes-on suicide watch had convinced him to swear to the authorities that he had no intention of killing himself. And oddly enough to him, that was sufficient for removal of the personal guards who had been instructed to sit by the wall of his tank, and furnish him with no information.

Still under camera surveillance, he made the best he could of his request for solitude, away from agents who were not Red and Liz. He must cope alone with his loss. No one else could know why this pain consumed him. Told he could ask for the diversions of his music and books, the sensitive merman found no inclination. The lilting strains of his favourite, Vivaldi, would only serve to remind him of Nuala's airy grace. And he needed no volume of poetry to be plunged deeper into mourning. Should the day come that he could again bear to pronounce the lyrical phrases they had recited together, he would dedicate each one to her dear memory.

"Achent Sapien. Abraham!"

Abe flinched in surprise, and swirled his lithe form in a vertical circle, searching to all sides.

"Abraham, do not stir ze vater," returned the disembodied voice. "I am in combination vith ze molecules, und cannot stay long."

Abraham obediently froze in his buoyant position, and whispered with heartened recognition, "Johann?"

"Jah," affirmed the spirit. "Bitte, listen! You, Hellboy und Liz must stand before ze FBI disciplinary hearings, very soon. Zey, too are locked into zeir home. Zis is vat you **must** do! **Nefer** admit zat you gave up ze crown piece! No matter vhat you are asked!"

"But -" Abe could find no instant response.

"No martyr!" Johann continued. "Vhat vill happen to you all? For Liz, for Hellboy - no von else needs to know zat von detail. All must testify to ze same truth. Ze only truth – ve stole a plane for good cause. Ve defeated und rendered useless ze Golden Army. Ze royals zen died by zeir own hand."

"Red and Liz?" the merman hastened to ask.

"Unharmed," Johann replied, "und now, no more time. Remember!"

"Johann," Abe assented, "I cannot do less." Then quietly motionless, Abe stared after the formless white wisps that were Johann, watched him glide swiftly across the library floor, and seep to invisibility beneath the golden doors.

Johann returned undetected to his own quarters and re-entered his containment suit. He needed a short respite to regain some lost substance. It was seldom that he mingled so intimately within the friction of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. One more visit, and soon...

**...**

Hellboy, reclined on his press bench, thought he'd caught sight of something strange overhead, then stared up until the wispy swirl at the ceiling vent gained shape.

"Liz!" Red jumped to his feet and pointed her gaze upward, as she neared him.

"Are we on fire?" she whispered. "No, it's-"

Wordlessly, they watched Johann's nebulous form spread thinly along the walls and sweep wraith-like, through their quarters. He returned to them, shaping himself into a column.

"Ve are safe to speak."

"Thanks for the fast double check." Hellboy smiled at the pointy end of the faceless shape.

Her face bright with welcome, Liz couldn't wait.

"Johann! Tell us what's going on?"

"Your confidence flatters me," Johann replied, humbly pleased. "But to use our time vell - I haf seen Abraham, locked down to vait, as you are. No interrogations haf been attempted on any of you."

"Nothing," answered Hellboy. "Strange. And you know because..."

"I am seen only vhen I allow it. My confinement is less strict, und so now, hear me carefully."

To his rapt listeners, Johann continued, "My concern vith Abraham is zat he may feel compelled through guilt, or by effects of depression, to make admissions zat will adversely affect his freedom, his life. Vat vill you say on ze subject of ze crown piece?"

"Never found," replied Hellboy.

"That's right. Poor Abe," Liz sighed, "all alone."

"Zis, I haf impressed upon him. Und – I must varn zat I haf seen Dr. Manning instruct four achents -" Johann stopped short, seeing Hellboy smirk.

"Johann," he chuckled, "You get the fly on the wall prize! The team's been here, and we're doing it our way."

"Zen, ve are ready," Johann pronounced. "Make your best professional impression on ze adjudicators. Now, I must go."

Hellboy and Liz saw the spirit off with thanks as they watched him waft upwards into the reaches of the ventilation shaft, and knew that Johann had brought them not only his wisdom and skill, but his loyalty.


	3. Chapter 3 Justice - She's Cross-Eyed

**A/N: Hellboy, Liz Sherman, Abe Sapien and Johann Krauss won't back down from the legal establishment, and with the help of BPRD colleagues, throw some wrenches into the grinding wheels of 'justice'. (Please read, and would love reviews!)**

**...**

Hellboy sat alone at the dining table with his cup of coffee, respectfully quiet. He touched the softly gleaming black metal of the slim round choker that Liz had removed and placed on the table. The neck circlet was cleanly simple and smooth, with its cross symbol attached below center front. This was the one and only ornament she ever wore, and he pictured how the darkness of it stood out in stark contrast against the pale skin of her throat.

Liz had asked Red not to speak to her while she performed her series of yoga poses – but he could observe, as always. It more than contented him to watch her leotard clad, lithe little physique as she began with a period of stretching to warm her muscles. Then, absorbed in perfecting her balance, she stood on one one leg and bent her other to press the arch of her foot into her upper thigh. Firmly planted, Liz laced her fingers together and raised her arms overhead, reaching high with her pointed index fingers. As he watched her prolonged hold of the pose, Red admired in silence. She next transitioned repeatedly through the positions of the Sun Salutations with alternate leg lunges, then front down onto the floor for the Cobra stretch, and up on all fours to pose the Downward Dog – he could watch her all day. Liz hadn't insisted that he join her. He'd decided that he could never do these, himself. Too bulked up.

He left the table to sneak up to her with soundless steps as she angled head down in the final Dog, and quietly lowered himself to the floor by her side. With her hair swung over her field of vision, it took a second for her to discover him lying there, giving her a devious little grin. The tip of his tail gently waved and curled between them, mirroring his playful mood.

"Red...what are you doing?"

"Namaste," he whispered, his stone fingers lifting aside her curtain of hair. "Want to show you something."

Coming down from the pose, she sat on the floor and scanned Red from his horns to his boots. Nothing different there.

"Well?" She looked at him expectantly as he extended his left fist. Slowly, he straightened his fingers before her curious eyes.

An eccentric, wide ring gleamed on the tip of his small finger. She stared, examined, and gave him a look of calm regard.

"It's red." Concealing her suspicion of what it could mean, she waited for explanation.

"Red gold."

"Very red."

"Liz." He pulled himself up to sit facing her, and forged ahead, honestly serious. "Take it." He raised his hand to her in offering. "Wear it for me?"

Liz plucked the band from his fingertip, turned it around to study the continuous four strand braided design, then read inside, an inscription - 'My true love'. When she coolly looked back at him with no change, no acceptance in her eyes, his heart dropped. He nearly flinched when she took his wrist, placed the ring on his palm, and covered it with her own.

"Lover..." Her fond tone carried a touch of reprimand. "Do it right!"

He picked up the little band, his fingers slightly trembling. Cradling her left hand on his stone palm, he slid the ring onto his love's heart finger, and her gaze of pleasure assured him that it was truly home. Relieved, he pulled her into a smothering embrace.

"I've been keeping it a lot of years, for you."

"I love it," she purred against the rapid pulse of his throat. "And now, it's mine."

"Then – I'll ask.." He hesitated with the weight of his request. "Want me for your husband?"

"I think our kids would be mad at me, if I didn't."

"Aw, great!" He gave a small shrug, realizing his fumble. "I said it sort of backwards, but you know..."

"I know. Backwards, forwards, I know." She slipped her arms up around his neck, drawing him to the soft allure of her lips. As her eyes closed, she felt the first light touch of his mouth, his hand raising to cup her cheek, and the absolute, eager caress of his lips in loving union.

**...**

Just after five in the morning, Johann Krauss stopped before the locked room reserved for him and his fellow agents' hearing, to be called to order this day. The double doors were hung with a large block lettered laminated sign, denoting a function within of "The Office of Professional Responsibility" above the lines, "Federal Bureau of Investigation" and "U.S. Department of Justice". Added below was a separate sign warning, "No Unauthorized Admittance".

Johann was then on his way to another office to meet with his recently arrived assigned internal advocate. Locating his destination, he found that door also signed with the temporary shingle of one Senior Special Agent Joshua A. Radner. In this case, Johann could look through a half window at the occupant, who rose from his desk chair, and impatiently waved him in. Radner stood to one side as Johann walked past him, then switched the vertical window blinds closed. He returned to the paper-covered desk and jerkily pulled out a second chair for his guest.

"It's damned irregular!" he huffed. "Sorry, been talking to myself for the last ten minutes...just drove up here a couple of hours ago, from my own division. I have your I.D. pic here, your credentials, not much else, a disclosure brief that reads like a fifth grade class project...Dr. Johann Krauss. Sorry, want some coffee?"

"Zank you, no coffee."

"I've drank enough to float my teeth." He thrust out his hand. "Josh Radner, your counsellor. I see I have three other clients, for want of a better word, who are locked up and unavailable! Can you tell me why?" Radner released his brief grip on Johann's jointed metal glove.

"Vhat information haf you read?" Johann glanced over the files spread over Radner's desk.

"It would help if you give me a fast sketch of who they are."

"Achent Abraham Sapien," Johann began, "a telepath of superior intellect, inoffensif, physically appears as more a blue man vith features of a fish."

Radner gamely nodded at the description, keeping his caffeine-jangled neurons in check.

Johann continued, "Achent Elizabeth Sherman, a human female in behaviour und appearance. She has ze ability to command ze emission of destructive heat und fire from her body. Zhird, Achent Hellboy, more often called by ze name of 'Red', a tall, heavy half demon, an enormously strong und resilient fighter of fearsome ability. Unfortunately, zese achents haf not alvays been treated according to zeir value."

"So, they're locked up, and you're not. Why?"

"I belief, a professional courtesy, a show of favour, due to my position of service."

"And you have as many charges against you, as the rest."

"Und so it should be. I stand vith zem."

Radner gripped the back of his weary neck, steeling himself. "I need your help to get this together." He dragged the briefs towards himself across the desk. "Lord, they gave me a mountain," he droned. "But I'm good. I'm this good."

**...**

Readying himself outside of his tank, Abe tugged up the collar of his bodysuit, and puzzled for a moment at the space that gapped around his neck. Again this morning, he had not felt like eating a thing. Knowing he couldn't carry on this way, he took his greatest measure of comfort in the prospect of finally seeing Liz and Red after these four uncertain days and nights on his own. He looked over at his escort, into the not unkind face of Agent Bailey.

"It will be hours until lunch." Bailey tried coaxing again, "Abe, eat something before we go!"

The merman displayed his best expression of cooperation to the man who was holding out a plate of sulphurous smelling green eggs, at the full length of his arms.

"You are right," Abe sighed, taking one.

Abe knew his role today. He looked the part.

**...**

At eight o'clock, Johann was patiently waiting on a bench in the male agents' locker room. Josh Radner had asked to be shown to the showers after arduous hours of hearing preparation.

"What is it with you?!" Radner hollered from the stall, making small talk to keep his mind off the displeasure of his cold water shower. "Don't you ever get tired?!"

"Counsellor, I do not ever sleep!"

Radner returned to the locker room, shivering and swathed in towels. He hastily dried off, donned his pinstriped suit and tied his polished shoes.

"Awake, alert, focused," he chanted to himself before the mirror, perfecting the knot of his tie. He grabbed his armload of files from the bench. "Onward and upward, my friend!"

As Johann and Radner arrived outside the hearing room, the contained spirit identified himself to the four agents standing guard outside the double doors. As Johann proceeded inside, he heard one of them whisper behind him, "What the hell was that?"

Johann scoped out the windowless room, the simple layout of the head tables facing four others, sturdy chairs and a witness podium against a wall. He stood apart as his legal rep took the opportunity to hold a session of earnest whispering to the prosecutor, since no one else had yet arrived. Johann knew how that conversation must be going. Radner would be testily notifying the prosecutor that he had been called to his assignment on this very day, allowing no proper time to consult with his defendant agents. No matter to Johann. He concerned himself only with the expected arrival of Hellboy, Liz and Abe.

Tom Manning next entered the room and hurried by him, anxious for some minutes of his own to huddle with the prosecutor. Johann took satisfaction in observing that Manning studiously avoided looking his way.

**...**

Red and Liz lazed in bed for a last half hour of the early morning. Draped across his chest, she wanted to stay connected to his naked warmth, not need to break away to face this day.

"Why are they doing this to us?" Liz murmured, propping up her chin on his collarbone. "It's not worth their time and trouble."

Red's hand slid across the smoothness of her back. "Better to be in Ireland by the ocean?"

"I've thought about it. While the sun was shining, and we were feeling so high, it was the dream. And I could have made us a big campfire when it got dark and cold..."

"Back to primitive," he broke in. "Not what I'd want for my pregnant lady. Not even for one night, not now."

Liz snuggled her face deeply into the side of his neck. "Oohhh...we have to get up..."

Dressed and ready for the day, the couple waited for their escort team to arrive with the breakfast delivery, and occupied themselves with a last minute detail. Searching through his duster pockets, Red had brought out the battle-torn fragments of his father's rosary. He remembered snatching them in mid-air while the robotic soldier limbs and weapons churned close around him. Nothing would make him leave it behind. Now, some quick method of temporary repair had to be devised. Seated at the table with Liz, he watched her threading dental floss through the fine chain links and tying knots until the broken lengths were joined as securely as possible. She wrapped the chain-linked beads around his left wrist, and knotted the lengths of floss to hold it in place.

"Looks less tattered, but not pretty," Liz remarked, snipping off the excess floss.

"It works, and thanks." He smiled down at her slender fingers on his wrist, and raised them to lightly kiss the ring.

They looked up toward their vault door, now in the process of being unlocked. Agent Sutton appeared first, steering the loaded food cart inside.

"Morning," he greeted. "Man, this smells good!"

"Hungry?" Red pulled the cart close to the table. "Take a load off and help yourself."

Parrish, Elder and Weller followed with the second cart. Sutton sat down to make a toast and bacon sandwich, while Liz hustled to set out plates and mugs.

Parrish closed the room against outsiders. His team wasn't supposed to be enjoying breakfast here. They weren't supposed to be enjoying anything, at all.

"Manning had us up and running at 0400," he groused, spearing sausages onto his plate and spooning up scrambled eggs. "And your internal investigations rep will be here just in time for the hearing, for all the good _that _will do."

"Heard anything about Abe?" asked Liz.

"He's all briefed, and slated for an escort with one of our own guys. Nobody seems to think _he's_ dangerous. Been asking about you, too."

Hellboy looked up from his own huge plate. "No separate escorts for the duration. Liz is sticking with me."

Parrish swallowed a mouthful and lifted his mug of coffee. "Worried?"

"I'm taking a hard line with this messed-up beef. But cool."

Nothing more was needed for these men to understand, as they hurried through the unexpected bounty of breakfast with Red and Liz.

"Time," announced Weller.

The party of six exited Hellboy's quarters, saving their banter and familiarity for closed doors, and walked the route to the hearing room.

**...**

The group stopped a short distance from the entrance, sizing up the guard now looking their way with a forced degree of professional aplomb.

"What a bunch of stiffs!" Elder muttered under his breath, but on approach he tried a friendly, "Hi, guys! What's your field office?"

In other circumstances, someone would have answered, but officiously, two of the unknown agents stepped in front of the escort to receive the paperwork. Reading the names, one frowned.

"Agent Sherman isn't to enter until called to the session," he stated, uncomfortably averting his eyes from Hellboy, to rest on Liz.

"What're you gonna do about it?" Hellboy's question was spoken evenly and civilly, but his deep, gravelly delivery and the hard fix of his eyes as he awaited reply, backed down the guard agent.

"Nothing personal, sir, but I'll have to report it," was his cowed return. "Go on in."

Parrish and Weller entered first. The seated panel members then received their initial sight of the fabled demon agent who stood as tall as the doorway. Reaching back with his left arm, Red felt Liz' hand clasp his, and she stepped to his side. Elder and Sutton followed. Hellboy nodded his greeting to Johann. The spirit acknowledged with a subtle misty puff from his helmet valves.

Tom Manning, his eyes darting between Hellboy, his escort team, and the knot of guest agents, rushed up tight to Parrish and hissed, "I assured these people that they would be safe! Why is _he_ not cuffed?!"

"It's going smooth, Director." Parrish continued to look straight ahead, unruffled. "Your way, would have meant hell to pay. And – don't try to get Liz away from him."

Hellboy strode to the central table facing the panel, and pulled out a chair for Liz. He slowly scanned the strangers staring his way, and saw each pair of eyes trying to hold firm under his unblinking scrutiny. He took a seat beside Liz. His escort walked up and stood close behind.

Well warned, Tom Manning made the decision to establish his managerial competence to the person in charge of the head table.

"My most trusted men," he leaned in to confide to the adjudicator, "will ensure that Agent Hellboy won't behave like an ignorant brute!"

"Dr. Manning, am I to understand that Agent Hellboy has some mental or emotional defect, some form of sociopathy?"

"No!" Manning backpedalled with haste. "Clinically, I don't believe so. He's certainly not pleased to be here-"

"And I would expect, neither are the rest."

The waiting idle continued to shuffle papers and steal glances at Hellboy, taking in details of his unearthly appearance. Manning, still simmering at the disobedience of Hellboy's guard, strode to within five feet of him. He pointed to the panel, and sternly instructed, "Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Brennan, is designated adjudicator of these proceedings, and you'll respect her as such!"

Red threw nothing but a dismissive glance his way, and turned back to Liz.

ASAC Brennan calmly folded her hands on the table, displeased at being centered out so.

"Dr. Manning," she addressed drily. "Let's not waste time on hyperbole." Her rejoinder reinforced the gravitas of her position, and the room looked on silently as she turned her gaze on the demon. "I wouldn't expect Agent Hellboy to be intimidated by scoldings." Her hand rested on several thick volumes of his file. Reading a memo before her, she noted, "Agent Elizabeth Sherman has not been summonsed to appear today. I would prefer that you, Agent Sherman, leave the room, in order that evidence not be contaminated. Your appearance, alone, is set for tomorrow."

Hellboy leaned forward in his chair, and heads snapped up as his stone fist scraped audibly over the table surface. The panel's first experience of Red's voice was his low growl of immutable certainty.

"To whom it may concern – she stays by _me._" The sweep of his uncompromising yellow stare further froze their attention.

Liz gave no sign of obeying the direction to move from Red's side.

"The four of us were together at all times."

"Now is not the time to speak to the facts in issue, Agent Sherman. You will all have the opportunity to be heard, if you wish to give testimony."

"Right." Hellboy dragged back his stone fingers. "Ready to go."

All looked to the sound of doors opening once more as Agent Bailey ushered Abe inside. He stood in place, anxiously locating his friends, relieved to see them together. Before he could say anything, he was carefully steered to a chair at the table beside Red and Liz. He immediately leaned closer to fill his eyes with the long denied sight of them, and faltered, jamming his side into the table top.

"Abe! You're so pale and thin!" Liz looked him up and down, taking his face between her hands.

"It has not been – a happy interval," he croaked out, his gills barely fluttering.

Red jumped to Abe's side.

"Agent Hellboy!" Manning barked. "Remain in your-"

"Nothing's in session." Red was bitingly abrupt. And correct. "Screw this!"

Hefting the merman into his arms, Red signalled Parrish with a quick lift of his chin. As Tom Manning stared helplessly, the team made for the doors and flung them outward. A startled yelp and curses issued from the outside agents as Red barrelled through and took a right down the corridor, backed by his escort.

"I see that your most trusted men are dutifully covering Agents Hellboy and Sherman." ASAC Brennan pinned Manning with her dart of sarcasm.

"Yes, they are indeed, Ma'm," assured the Director, appearing not at all sure. "And they'll be returning shortly!"

Manning cast about for salvation, and he hurried up to the unreadable ectoplasmic spirit with his urgent whispered plea. "Dr. Krauss! Please, will you find them? Talk them back? As a fellow-"

"I may haf zat ability, Dr. Manning," Johann interrupted, rising from his seat. "Excuse me." He dipped his helmet respectfully to the adjudicator, and strode for the exit, accompanied by Radner.

"In all my years, Dr. Krauss," Radner chuckled, when they were a safe distance off, "I've never seen a hearing go this way."

"It promises to be qvite entertaining, Counsellor." Johann walked briskly, his metal boot strikes echoing within the block walls.

"With this cast of characters," added the rep, "through the roof! Where are we going?"

Carrying his friend, Hellboy raced ahead through several strategic corner turns, until they reached a target steel door. There, he set Abe down and pushed home the master key slipped to him by Parrish. The escort team jogged into sight, and seven agents rushed into the concealment of the designated room. They made for the rear and side walls, where stored excess office furniture provided a motley collection of chairs, cabinets, and desks.

"Abe, are you sick?" Liz pressed, finding him a place to rest.

"Just – not quite myself, thank you."

Red stood by the locked door and counted down, "Three, two, one..." He quickly opened to a signal tapped out on the other side, smirking as Johann and Radner hurried in. The rep stood looking back and forth at all the occupants, expansively spreading his arms.

"What, no tail on us?" Radner sounded almost comically disappointed.

"Yeah, welcome to our broom closet," cracked Hellboy.

"Fellow defendants." Johann took the floor. "You haf not yet been introduced to Senior Achent Joshua Radner, our enerchetic advocate."

Radner looked about the sealed, halogen lit room, smugly satisfied. He walked up to a shabby desk and threw down his files.

"I finally get you to myself, and all in one place!" he exclaimed triumphantly. He motioned to the special talent agents to gather around him.

"I'm about to mount your vigorous defense. Now, what have you got for me?"


End file.
